A 5£ Hasselblad XPAN alternative?

[@lensman5762]

Attention all those Y.T ' photographers ' posing with their £3000 latest digital camera gizmo box with 200 autofocus modes, 600 focus points, and £2000.00 F1.2 lenses. This is what photography is all about, having a vision and the talent to go with it. Thank you T. Hopper.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate the kind words and your comment yes its what photography is all about treating any camera like a tool and go for it!

[@chanderprakash3159]

@@TatianaHopper kzbin.info/www/bejne/imqnnp5qir2HhNU And There's This Fool Who Is Blinded By The Crispy Sharpness Of The DSLRs. What Offended Me That HE THREW HIS CAMERA IN HIS DUSTBINNNNNNNN!!!!!!! He Could Have Sold It Or Just Give It To Another Person. He Was Complaining About The Black Bars And Wastage Of Film But I Think That He Could've Utilised Those Empty Black Spaces For Writing Details About The Image Captured By Him With White Pencil. Not Everywhere DSLR Can Work. Please Don't Give Hate If It Has Offended Someone, I'm Sorry About That. I'm Just Giving My Opinion. Both Film & Digital Are Best In Their Respective Fields. BTW I Love Film Photography & Old Cameras.

[@chanderprakash3159]

@@TatianaHopper I was also offended by what he did to that camera because the pictures produced by this camera is fascinating and amazing. The black bars are giving it an almost vintage cinematic look. The pictures were definitely looking like screen grabs from a vintage cinemascope movie.

[@LTHanlon]

You have a wonderful understanding of what tools really mean. A very big thank you from me - and anyone who ever yearned for an X-Pan. These cropped-widescreen panoramic cameras make me feel as if I'm shooting everything in Panavision.

[@SoSheSaid991]

As always, you bring something new and ever so refreshing to the table. I cannot believe some of these shots are taken from a £5.00 camera. You truly are an artist, and I for one am following you on this incredible journey. I cannot wait to see more, please do not keep ‘us’ waiting too long.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much Shani, really appreciate your support and yeah it’s super cool to keep an open mind and aim for the best with any camera no matter what it is. Just like you I was very surprised too with some shots! Thank you for watching & appreciate you support! Always. 🤍

[@theundefinedphotographer]

Well said! I'm usually used to shooting with 40-55mm lenses because I never felt confident enough to shoot wide angle, but practicing with panoramas has given me a newfound appreciation for wide angle lenses and seeing the world differently in that way. As you mentioned, that's what photography is about - to experiment with different styles and learn new skills. Also, I always love your minimalist landscape photos, especially how you capture the sky.

[@TatianaHopper]

Hey Carmen! Thank you so much for watching, really appreciate your words and for me it was very similar to what you said I found a new appreciation for wide angle lenses and just seeing the world in a different way, trust me these cameras always go in my bag now 😂 and yes it’s all about experimenting and learning new skills 🤍

[@Vangalther]

Love the vertical experiments with Panoramic format

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you!

[@JamieMPhoto]

What kills me is when people say "just crop your photo panoramic" ... Like we can just shoot a lot of fisheye photos and crop out whatever we want later and have it feel and look the same. I guess we could, but I definitely don't work that way. But as an exercise and a test for the format, these cheap novelties certainly do seem to help. Thank you for sharing!

[@TatianaHopper]

Absolutely Jamie! Really agree with you and thank you for putting that point across! Cheers for watching :)

[@jonatascd_]

ditto! exactly what I was going to comment!

[@albertoskytwins3527]

I bought this camera based on this video, I found it for £3 plus post on ebay so that's great! I love panoramic so a basic camera that just shoots cropped panoramic will avoid the always annoying feeling of cropping and feeling that maybe the original crop was better haha

[@dubtofukstep713]

Another panorama alternative is to use a 35mm adapter for a medium format camera. I use one on my RB67. This method is more of a true panorama photo, rather than just a cropped picture.

[@TatianaHopper]

Yes I’m familiar with that in fact I’m looking for a kit for my Mamiya 7 so I can try it myself, sounds like a really good option! Thank you for watching Ari!

[@onegrapefruitlover]

It's still a cropped picture from a larger roll of film... I mean yes, you get the quality of the regular 35mm film but it's still a *crop* , not any more or less of a "true panorama" than this camera.

[@Utkarsh_A]

@@onegrapefruitlover I would disagree, it's a crop from a much larger imagine circle as opposed to this which is cropping a standard 35mm frame, with medium formats you are cropping from a 6x7 frame

[@yetanotherbassdude]

@@onegrapefruitlover all aspect ratios are technically a "crop", as almost all camera lenses will only ever create a circular image that is then cropped by the camera to form a rectangular one on the film or sensor. What difference is there between doing that using a dedicated 35mm pano camera like the X-Pan and doing it with an adapter kit for a Mamiya?

[@hoagyguitarmichael]

As with cheap guitars, it is fruitless to try to make them do the same thing as expensive guitars, but rewarding to discover and make the most of they will do. Your voice will come through that way, as yours does with these inexpensive tools.

[@cosarara97]

I bought one of these on ebay, just because of how cheap it was, and only after I arrived I read a review that told me about the focus not being set at infinity. It's been sitting in a shelf unused since. This video is encouraging, I will try to go and actually shoot with it! Thanks :)

[@TatianaHopper]

Put it to use! Thank you for watching :)

[@matthewdejager9887]

May you have a long lasting and happy channel. I truly appreciate your views and work

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much Matthew appreciate it!

[@zaankanteropavontuur1146]

Great videos as always. Love the vertical shots love the out of the box idea!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you!

[@zackerylunde]

There’s an old surplus/discount store in my hometown that had boxes and boxes of these that were ten cents a piece. Such a fun little camera, I just recently got mine back out of storage and am using it again.

[@stevenbudd3725]

Hi T. It's a great exercise to work with functionally limited equipment - I use an Agfa Clack 6x9cm film camera. I love it. Just one shutter speed (about 1/30) and two apertures (about f11 and f8). I've adapted mine to take screw in 39mm ND filters to broaden the exposure control. In an age of complex, multi-coated lenses the Clack has a single element meniscus lens and a curved film back. The rendering is startlingly excellent. Like I said, it's a joy to use. Great vid by the way!

[@TatianaHopper]

That’s great Steve, super cool to navigate our own ways and discover or rediscover things when dealing with limited equipment. I think it’s a great lesson for any photographer. Thank you for watching! Peace ✌🏻

[@aramdavid]

I keep wanting one of these. Convincing myself to get a widelux instead. Dreaming about an XPan, scrapping the whole idea, and then starting the whole thing over again. Great work. Maybe you’ve convinced me to just do it.

[@TatianaHopper]

Just do it Aram! At least you haven’t much too loose £5 / $5 and you have a different experience and see how you feel about it

[@aramdavid]

@@TatianaHopper have you seen the Minolta P’s? I was thinking of that too.

[@aramb]

I wasn't looking for a panorama camera, but I stumbled on one today in a local thrift store while looking through used CDs and LP records.Olympus LT zoom 105. Got it home, went into the dark/bathroom and took the roll of film out of it, installed a fresh battery, and it works! You can select "normal" or panorama on a per-frame basis. In pano mode, it flips a mask in front of the film. Can't wait to play with it this weekend!

[@TatianaHopper]

That’s great Ron! Hope you’ve been enjoying the camera! Keep safe and keep shooting 🎞

[@anguyen800]

I actually love the vignette of those images . And I love you simple composition . Very Zen feeling . And Yes , make the best of what you pay for . Totally amazed with the result . Compliments .

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you Ann, much appreciated. I think it’s all about a mindset as I said try to do the best with what I paid for :) thank you for watching and supporting the channel :)

[@ricardofortes8283]

Yo I swear you always select the best music. Killer video as always!!

[@TatianaHopper]

Ahah thank you!

[@larsbunch]

I’ve used a Lomography Sprocket Rocket and a 4x10 back on an 8x10 camera. I struggle with panoramic shots. I like the concept of them but I have yet to shoot something that I feel uses the aspect ratio well. But when I look at Josef Sudek’s panoramas I get re-excited about the format. Your images in this video give me the feeling of people and objects lost in the vastness of the environment. I think they are very solid and interesting. I tend to compose by weighting the image heavily on one side rather than centering the subject. I’m not sure that centered compositions will work for me, but I should experiment with them.

[@TatianaHopper]

I understand Lars I actually never tried a Lomography camera because to be honest I never hear great feedback from them, I always choose to go with great unknown photography fossils like this panorama, I think panoramic is a format that doesn't suit everything and everyone, you might enjoy it and be for you or it might be the contrary but what counts is trying anyways. I think you should definitely keep on trying! :)

[@kdavina]

thank you for this! you are appreciated 💚🦋

[@youpeach52]

I just picked up one of these yesterday for £2 at a charity shop and was a bit disappointed when reading the reviews online and was just temped to bin it or give it away but after this video I'm taking it to Tenerife to give it a try and see what weird and wonderful things this cheapo creates! Thanks great video!!👏🏻👏🏻

[@kevinlack5634]

Very interesting video. Your Wide Pic cameras appear to have their own ‘look’ (similar to the more well known Holga cameras) and, in my opinion, in this instance work very well with your unique ‘cinematic’ eye and style :)

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you Kevin! I really had a lot of fun travelling around with them and yes I think they have a similar look to the holga cameras you have. Cheers for the compliment and support, thank you for watching!

[@alangreenwell1848]

I have been playing with the idea of getting a lomography sprocket rocket for a while just to see what kind of subject lends itself to panoramic photography. At £60 it's worth a punt. I just look for the fuji tx1 and hassleblad xpan on eBay. Wow. Big money. Love the photos you made. Even with the drawbacks of the camera you pointed out they have a charm to them.

[@TatianaHopper]

Just like everything else this camera is not perfect but with the right amount of light and a faster film it can produce cool results! And to be honest it’s well worth the £5 investment ahah thank you for watching Alan and get you one of these!

[@michaelh.gerloff3659]

Thank you very much for that video and showing the awesome photos. I bought this camera in June after I saw a video of German toy cam photographer Dennis Eighteen, he took photos with the Wide Pic in New York. After my first film I would say that I need to think a little bit more about my photos :) But I found a new topic that maybe will become a project.

[@TatianaHopper]

Fantastic Michael, I think even if the first photos disappoint you that's the beauty of these cameras, it makes you rethink about a lot of things compositionally speaking, light, shadow, details and its super cool. Thank you for watching and keep having fun with your camera! :)

[@michaelh.gerloff3659]

@@TatianaHopper Watching your video and loading a Kodak Gold 400 into the Wide Pic was one :) And next film will be shot without the frame. Dennis showed some photos that looked quite catchy, more the Lomo way and blurry in the frame area.

[@johnrflinn]

One of the best wide angle combinations is the Mamiya Press Super 23 with the 50mm F6.3 Biogon lens and the 6x9 back.

[@shereemaebalangue1296]

Another positive vibe and share! Great video!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you Sheree :)

[@nolansnook1268]

I loved this video T. Sharing your artistic travels has provided good company when I look at the world with my camera in hand. I think this video is a great companion to the one you did on Patti Smith. I see many wonderful similarities. Please do more when inspired and Peace To You Too. / N

[@TatianaHopper]

Oh yes! When I was editing this video all I kept thinking was how much Patti Smith's words had had an effect on me and how much it was similar in a way, what I was saying about my results with this camera to what she was saying about her photography. I think its super cool to have those crossovers and see how everything is indeed connected! Thank you for watching Nolan! Peace ✌️

[@EstudioGalo]

Really cool video. Love the panorama ratio. Another good option is to use point and shoot cameras like mju, pentax espio mini and others that have panorama mode and the quality of the image is awesome.

[@TatianaHopper]

Oh that's cool! I need to try that!

[@EdwardIglesias]

Neat! This reminds me of the work of Susan Burstine in that when no camera would satisfy her, she made her own.

[@TatianaHopper]

Now that's something I'd love to do one day maybe with more time in my hands I'd definitely see where I could go with it. Cheers for watching Edward :)

[@punkrachmaninoff]

I have a Vivitar point and shoot with a 27mm lens that shoots panoramic crops. it’s actually a damn fine machine.

[@karta8436]

cool video. Just saw the camera on eBay today while browsing

[@RYANPARKPHOTOGRAPHY]

I bought 35mm adapter for my hasselblad 500cm as I also wanted to try panorama view! thanks for sharing!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you for watching Ryan! Let’s go you enjoy that kit!

[@RYANPARKPHOTOGRAPHY]

@@TatianaHopper thanks! i will 😍

[@SilverHalides]

Great video and amazing compositions Another proof tha a good photographer can achieve beautiful results with any camera. I am lucky enough to have the 35mm panoramic kit for my Mamiya 7II but that camera, with lenses, is of course much bulkier and also heavier, quite apart from the difference in price…

[@TatianaHopper]

Yes that's true Peter, I've looking for a kit like that to my Mamiya but before I dropped the bucks I was looking to have some fun and try something on the cheap side and see what this panoramic deal is all about ahah Thank you for watching and appreciate your support!

[@erickgurtler5551]

Amazing shots! I feel inspired to try my panoramic mode on my Nikon Zoom310 AF

[@TatianaHopper]

Do it Erick! Cheers for watching and glad you feel inspired!

[@yetanotherbassdude]

If we wanted "perfect" images, we probably shouldn't be shooting on film! I love the idea of these little cameras, if only just to learn to better see the world in that aspect ratio without having to fork out stupid money on an X-Pan. I often find myself cropping my digital photos to wider aspect ratios anyway, and I'd love to try it on film too so I might have to track one of these down!

[@methical__]

I have one of those too. I have a glorious amount of pics where my finger is on the picture. 😂 But i loved the experience and the cropped view it produces.

[@TatianaHopper]

ahaha same happened to me on some but I guess the ergonomics aren't really a thing people thought about when they built this camera ahah its kind of hard sometimes to figure out if your finger will be in frame or not.

[@tcdp9804]

I love your voice. I have othosclerosis and most times can't distinguish words in spanish: But Your english accent and the rythim of yor voice is perfect. BTW, i love your pics, I also use a p&s camera in panoramic mode. :)

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you! :)

[@thomashilmersen711]

Excellent video. I am thinking this kind of camera would be great for more experimental work, where the focus in on shapes, lines, shadows, etc. rather than details.

[@TatianaHopper]

I think that’s a good idea Thomas, go for it! ✌🏻

[@louhautdavid6451]

It's good sometimes to try something new. I guess it's the same as trying a new lens. I felt a bit stuck with my 28mm wich a like very much and tried a 40mm, just to see what I could do with it. I found such a change a bit difficult but I can appreciate the benefit of this experience. You photograph in a different way but also different things.

[@TatianaHopper]

That's the essence of experiencing! Its to appreciate a different experience and remain positive even through the difficulties that might emerge, its all at the end of the day part of our learning curb!

[@davidbelgrave1971]

08:54 Fantastic shot!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you!

[@lawniczakjohn]

Great video as always!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you John!

[@DerGeileEisbaer]

I just started to use an adapter to fit 35mm film in my Kiev 88 aka Hasselblyat. At this point I have no idea if it's actually working but it is still fun :D

[@anta40]

Interesting images. Not my style, but at least we are on the same page about trying something new. It doesn't always about technical perfection or pro-grade work. Michael Kenna took the similar approach on his "Holga" book, BTW. On the other side, this post reminds me how panoramic camera system is still niche-ish. Can you get a good quality SLR like under $300? Sure. Just ask any Nikon/Minolta/Olympus folks. The gap is much bigger on panoramic camera world, either something really cheap like Lomo stuffs, or the mythical XPan/TX1/TX2. Of course in the end, accurate color rendition, tack sharp, less visible grain etc don't automatically translate into interesting images.

[@JHurrenPhotography]

Get the best out of what you paid for, that motto works! For everything!

[@JHurrenPhotography]

I can really identify with this episode. I'm sure any photographer can identify also as they are discovering or rediscovering film, or even one deciding to shoot an older digital camera than they've grown used to. Switching your tool brings you back to the basics, and gives you a new understanding of how you as an artist move out from the beginning into a style of your own. Without the occasional hobbling, it's easy to get carried away and lose sight of what's what. Over the past year, I've found progress as a creative through the limitation of always shooting slide film along side digital. The fact is this practice makes me work way harder to come away with images that satisfy my digital pallet. I'm hard as nails.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you James! :)

[@michaelsherck5099]

If you have an old fashioned camera store near you, you can take in a normal 35mm negative and a print from it, mark the cropping on the print with a grease pencil and they can make a panoramic print from a negative from real camera with a real lens. Or, take a spare dark slide for your 4x5 camera and cut away half of it. Voila! Panoramic on 4x5 sheet film! It does get better than that but, heck, I can't afford an 8x20 or 12x20 ultra large format camera... or film... maybe someday, when I am wealthy. I used to know a fellow with a 7x17 camera. I seriously love his contact prints. John, if you're still out there, say hello to the girls for me.

[@hamshanksproductions7161]

Great photography.

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you enjoyed it, cheers for watching!

[@Sreybk]

Love the photos. BTW, who turns an ice cream cone upside down onto a table? A fixed shutter of 1/25 seems awfully slow.

[@TatianaHopper]

I know I loved that detail so I had to photograph it! Ahaha yes very slow indeed!

[@Klaus-macht-Bilder_de]

With panorama I allways assoziate wide angle - do you know and can estimate what focal legth is build into that cameras? To use the panorame effect on my DLRS I often use the recanghular Fisheye and calculate a rectangular correction which gives a kind of diabolo shaped picture what - after cropping gives a nice super wide panorama. I recently got a view finder mask 24x65 for my Pentax 6x7 - but have not tried it yet. Thinking of using teh 45mm lens. the change to real 35mmfilm would only payoff if I really will use this a lot. So far I thinkm of keeping the unintended exposed area as an add-on for e.g. horizont correction.

[@carltanner9065]

I have one of these cameras as well. I like it!!!😁 I don't care that it vignettes like crazy sometimes and the focus can be off. I just like getting a piccie out of the camera that I'm pleased with and perfection be damned😁 Now, if only I can find a blue one, I'd buy it in a flash!!!😁

[@TatianaHopper]

Absolutely Carl that’s the spirit! Cheers for watching and enjoy your camera! ✌🏻🎞

[@carltanner9065]

Managed to pick myself up one of the red ones!! It's on its way out to me as I type this. Shouldn't be too long before it gets here!!

[@Fjalll]

Love these cheap plastic wides. You can pull out the crop insert making it a regular 25mm ish camera.

[@TatianaHopper]

True! Cheers for watching!

[@nelsonm.5044]

I did not know such a camera exist, definitely not for me but interesting.... thanks for the video

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you for watching Nelson! :)

[@albertavila9574]

I love your videos thank you!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you for watching!!

[@tomgutteridge2816]

Great vid… do u need to take the film anywhere special for the wide photos to be developed?

[@TatianaHopper]

Hey Tom, no I developed them myself with a normal 35mm tank & chemicals! Cheers for watching!

[@dekesask]

Is it wrong that I actually quite like the grainy "roughness" of the shots you presented? Something about the texture and saturation is very appealing.

[@TatianaHopper]

There’s no rights or wrongs Derek! I dig it too! Thank you so much for watching. :)

[@spyratekodaks7494]

I see you got a Canon a1!! It's a really good camera for its money!!

[@TatianaHopper]

It really is!

[@mikem5107]

I really like the music in this video

[@TatianaHopper]

Titles in the description Mike :)

[@thehealthpotions]

I know what I'm going to spend my next $5 on.

[@TatianaHopper]

Ahahah let’s go! 🔥

[@photobobo]

Since you have a Mamiya 7 you already have a much better XPan alternative, you just need to get the 35mm panorama kit. This includes a mask, spool adapters and rewind adapter. You can then shoot 24mm by ~65mm negatives from regular 35mm film. The Mamiya lenses do not vignette like the XPan lenses do.

[@TatianaHopper]

Great recommendation thank you so much!

[@emilecrowther7706]

One other alternative is to mask any camera and the view finder accordingly. Preferably with a wide angle lens.

[@AveryDelMiller]

good video!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you!

[@Ryan-ts4iq]

How creative! Out of curiosity, are you currently home-developing and scanning or using a lab?

[@TatianaHopper]

Home developing Ryan ! :)

[@Ryan-ts4iq]

@@TatianaHopper awesome! I’ve been home developing B&W for a few months now and waiting on the mail for the rest of the supplies to start developing C41. Take care, I look forward to more videos!

[@717pixels9]

It's funny how the makers of those cameras can make them 2 times better by just rotating the plastic thingy that cuts top and bottom of the frame. They should rotate it 90 degrees. This way each frame would contain 2 vertical panoramic shots instead of one horisontal one and none of the film would be wasted. Of cource it would also mean that the camera should be rotated 90 degrees as well when making a photo so that the images turn out to be horisontal. 36 roll of film = 72 pano images.

[@bw2314]

Purchase link please. Cannot find on Amazon.

[@TatianaHopper]

Ebay.

[@spyratekodaks7494]

You could get into the expensive 6x9 format!! Lol

[@IsabellaTanajura143]

Does anyone have a link where I can buy this camera?

[@TatianaHopper]

Search for panorama wide pic on eBay!

[@ThatShaunBoy]

You make me regret getting rid of this camera, miiiight have to reinvest!

[@TatianaHopper]

Well let's put it this way shaun at least it isn't an investment that its heavy on the pockets ahah, go for it! ;)

[@ThatShaunBoy]

@@TatianaHopper hah very true, just saw one for £2.99

[@TatianaHopper]

@@ThatShaunBoy get it !

[@PaulOttavio]

Peace 😃

[@ivan9066]

I don't get it. If it just masks a normal 35mm why not just crop the picture from a typical SLR ?

[@TatianaHopper]

The joke is that it’s a fake panoramic camera just like so many others which were built in the 90s during the panoramic fever and these cameras were for those who couldn’t possibly afford such cameras or to make it simple / more accessible to the market of interested buyers. Back in the 90s the average buyer didn’t have a laptop with Adobe like we have today and being a film photographer it makes sense and it’s fun to dabble with these sort of analog technologies, yes you could just crop digitally but would be the same.

[@xedalpha1]

Just goes to show: it’s the artist not the easel

[@TatianaHopper]

Absolutely! Vision above everything 👀

[@cjrc999]

Hey tatiana, do you have some type of spam filter on your channel? I wrote a comment about the new exhibition of Sebastião salgado in London that started yesterday and also put a link to the science museum in London... Unfortunately the comment doesn't show up.

[@TatianaHopper]

Hey there, I'm not too sure, I looked in the held for review comments and there was nothing on it but maybe its just youtube who doesn’t permit it, its a shame I'd love to see it! I'll definitely look it up! Thank you for the tip :)

[@cjrc999]

Thanks for the answer, youtube is probably right :) I was a little naive... Your videos are amazing!.

[@rajendrabiswas]

nowadays iPhone has panorama mode too..

[@a_36_pavanprakash76]

i dont want to be that person but FIRST......

[@TatianaHopper]

ahaha

[@MikeKleinsteuber]

TBH I really can't see the point of this camera as anyone can crop their 35mm image afterwards. Seems pretty dumb even to try it, particularly with all the downsides....

[@TatianaHopper]

Well It’s a good thing not all of us see things the same way. I respect your opinion so please respect mine and the rest of the viewers that shared theirs here and keep it respectful. Thank you for watching

[@MikeKleinsteuber]

@@TatianaHopper Sure. We're all different. Thank goodness as life would be boring otherwise....Have fun....

[@travisshannon8562]

Panoramic crops aren’t panoramics, there’s no such thing as a free lunch

[@villipi]

its not about the camera you use, its about the photos you take